


Wake Up in a Coma

by craterdweller



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), Buffyverse(TV)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Loyalty, Post-Episode: s05e16 The Body
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:35:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29169693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/craterdweller/pseuds/craterdweller
Summary: Cordelia finds Giles injured at the Magic Box.
Relationships: Cordelia Chase/Rupert Giles
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	1. Discovery

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SeasonOfMists](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeasonOfMists/gifts).



> Set between Season 5 Episode 16: The Body and Season 5 Episode 17: Forever. Joyce's death is alluded to but only as it frames the story.

Cordelia Chase glanced at the small number of open businesses that lined the street. The metered spots were all either taken or blocked with debris, but the sidewalk was eerily empty. Some things never change; Sunnydale was still a one coffee house town. She slowed her rental car as she turned down the alleyway. Wes had said the Magic Box’s customer parking was behind the store. She frowned as she checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. Angel should have picked up the book for the Ritual of Dancing Wolves when he drove up from L.A. last week but there had been no word from the normally dependable vampire. The news about Joyce Summers had hit everyone at Angel Investigations hard. She was a class act. So Cordy had volunteered to make the trip. It would be her first time returning to Sunnydale since graduation.

She parked her nondescript sedan next to a sporty, red, BMW convertible. “Nice! What are the odds that the owner of this baby is a single hottie?” _Yeah, right, Cordy. In the same world that vampires all had cool suntans_.

Not wanting to walk past the dumpsters in the alley, she tried the back door. _Maybe there was a doorbell or something._ “Giles? Hey Giles? Are you here?” She turned the knob and found the door was unlocked. Another thing that hadn’t changed— Giles still didn’t lock his doors.

She paused to admire the training room. “Wow.” No wonder that Buffy was so excited by her new training area. _I should take a few pictures and suggest some improvements to Angel._

An interior door at the north side of the room was currently closed. _That must lead to the shop_. Strolling through the door, expecting to see Giles with his nose in a book, Cordy gasped. The main portion of the shop looked as if a demolition crew had practiced on it. Shelves of merchandise were overturned, their contents were strewn about in a chaotic mess. “Giles? Anya?”

A groan came from under the pile of books near the bookshelves. She could just make out a pair of men’s dress slacks poking out. “Giles!”

She found Buffy’s Watcher unconscious on the floor, slowly waking. Relieved to find a pulse she dabbed at the wound on his head.

“Ow! Cordelia? Why are you here?”

“Well, hello to you too, Giles. You’re being snarky, so you can’t be too brain-damaged. What did I tell you about getting yourself knocked out?” She smiled to take the sting out of her comment.

“Yes, well I have yet to have woken up in a coma.” He swayed as he tried to stand.

“Whoah. Giles, maybe you should just sit for a minute.” She noticed his right arm was bent at an awkward angle. “Oh, god, your arm!”

The former librarian looked down and grimaced. “Well, at least it isn’t the left one this time.”

“What happened? Did Glory do this?”

“A group of her minions, I’m afraid. They were looking for an amulet and were quite cross when they didn’t find it.”

“I bet. Where’s Anya? I thought she was supposed to be working here.”

“She was going to make the deposit at the bank and then meet Xander for lunch.”

“Well, we should get you to the hospital. That arm needs to be set. And I’m guessing they will want to check to make sure your brain hasn’t been too scrambled. Wait, who’s the owner of that sweet convertible outside? Were there customers in the store when you were attacked? I’m guessing it is too much to hope for that it belongs to some single hottie.”

“Single, yes.”

“No way! That’s your car? You finally gave up the old junker?”

“More like it was totaled, much like my shop.”

She helped pull Giles to his feet, and nearly fell over as he swayed. Giles wasn’t built as thick as Angel, but he was taller. She slid under his left shoulder to steady him as they walked slowly towards her car. “At least the insurance will pay for the damage.”

“Err.”

“Giles?”

“The insurance company threatened to cancel if I submitted one more claim in the next nine months.”

“Why? How many claims have you submitted?”

“Only seven.”

“Well, that’s not too bad.” She opened the passenger door and buckled him in.

“That was just last month.”

“Oh.” Sensing the need to lighten the mood a bit, she changed the subject. “Gotta say, Giles, digging the new threads.”

“Err, yes, thank you.”

Giles stared out the window and remained quiet for the rest of the drive. This last week must have been especially hard on him. Cordy wanted to ask but didn’t think it was the right time.She pulled in front of the hospital entrance and blew the horn, making Giles wince and reach for his head.

“Sorry, Giles.”She rolled down the window and waved at the orderly. “May I get some help, please? He’s got a broken arm and probably a concussion. I can’t lift him because he’s too heavy.”

Giles blinked. If his glasses hadn’t been demolished during the attack he would have been polishing them. “Who are you and what have you done with Cordelia?”

He passed out.


	2. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordelia takes Giles home.

Cordy debated the merits of leaving Giles sitting at the courtyard’s small outdoor patio table but decided to lean him against the wall instead. “You are too big for me to get you back up on my own.”

The Watcher mumbled something she couldn’t quite make out. It sounded like “never had any complaints” but she chalked it up to the medication and the concussion.

She rooted around in the right front pocket of his slacks for his keys.

“Oy. Cordelia, you should at least buy me dinner first.”

“Giles! Okay, I don’t remember you being so flirty the last time.”

“You weren’t legal the last time.”

Cordelia stopped her search long enough to stare up at him. “What?”

He stretched out his left hand and brushed her bangs back off her forehead. “Wouldn’t have been proper, teacher and a student.”

“I didn’t even think you liked me.And then with Wes …”

“Jealous. Wasn’t good enough. Just a stuffy, washed up librarian. Now, I’m a shopkeeper.” He bowed his head.

She put her hand on the forearm that wasn’t in a cast. “Giles, you are the smartest person I know. Not to mention the whole kickass rebel sorcerer thing you have going.” She wanted to continue the conversation but noticed the sun was setting. “Let’s get inside before it gets dark. Now, where are your keys?”

The Watcher reached into his left pocket and produced the keyring.

Cordy smacked her forehead. “Duh, Cordy. He is so totally left-handed.”

Giles chuckled, then swayed.

“Whoah, big guy.” She unlocked the front door and sat him on the ugly green sofa before returning to the front door to lock it.

“I never lock that …”

“I know, in case Buffy needs to get in. But I’m guessing Buffy is a little too pre-occupied to patrol so I think it’ll be okay. Poor Joyce. She was a great lady.”

“Yes.”

Cordelia looked around the Watcher’s apartment. Everything was exactly how she remembered it, right down to the mark on the wall where she had accidentally fired off a crossbow bolt. She crossed over to the small galley kitchen and drew a glass of water. Rummaging in her purse, she produced the pills the hospital had given her for Giles’ concussion. “Here, take these.”

“Don’t need any bloody pills.”

“Stop being a baby, and take them.”

The Watcher shook his head, and immediately regretted it. He stumbled to the bathroom where he threw up.

“So, these are for nausea. Sure you don’t want to take them?”

He snatched the pills out of her hand and dry swallowed them.

“Well, this is going to be a fun night.” She steered him back to the sofa. “I’m going to grab you a pillow and a blanket off the bed.”

“I can manage.” He tried to stand but slumped back into the sofa. “Just need to rest a bit.”

“Giles, stop being so stubborn. Do you want to break your other arm falling down the stairs? I’m sure you can sleep one night on the couch.”

“Bossy.”

“Damn straight. Now stay put.”

Cordy hesitated a moment before jogging up the stairs to the loft. It had been three years, but she still had a hard time forgetting how cruelly Angelus had staged Jenny’s body. She didn’t know how Giles could stand to live in the same apartment. But then again, Giles definitely marched to his own drummer. After snatching the pillows and the extra blanket, she returned downstairs to find the Watcher making a pot of tea.

“I’ve made some tea. Two sugars, no cream?”

“You remember.”

Giles blushed. “I made it often enough for you lot at the library.”

Cordy smiled. “Yes, you did.”


	3. Care and Feeding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordelia watches the Watcher.

After spending an hour or so reminiscing over old times, Cordelia noticed the Watcher’s eyes droop. The painkillers must finally be taking effect. She stood and carried the tea service back to the tiny kitchen.

“You don’t have to do that, Cordelia. I can clean up later.”

“It’s no bother. Besides, I don’t think it is possible for you to go for more than two hours without your cuppa.”

“Ha, bloody, ha.”

Giles was one of the tidiest bachelors she knew. Not counting the piles of books that never seemed to have enough space on the shelf. Well, now that she thought of it, Wes, was pretty anal about putting things away too. Maybe it was a British thing? Or a Watcher thing.

By the time she returned to the living room, Giles had fallen asleep still in his clothes. She shook his shoulder gently. “Giles, why don’t you get changed for bed.”

“Wha? Cordelia? Where’s Buffy? Is she in danger?” He tried to get up.

Cordy decided it was best to use his momentum and steered him towards the bathroom where she had set out a pair of navy blue sweatpants and a white t-shirt. The one with a tiny cigarette hole in the chest made by a stray cigarette ash during the band candy incident. Ripper was a hottie.

Giles groaned as his cast got caught up in his long-sleeved shirt.

Filing the Ripper memory into the box of places to visit later, she helped the Watcher out of his shirt. “Whoah, Giles. All that training with Buffy has really paid off.” She stared at his chest. He wasn’t as buff as Angel, but he certainly had nothing to hide. She noticed the blush that went from the tips of his ears all the way down his torso.“What? I can’t be the first one to tell you how hot you are.”

“Er, um. Yes. Well. Not for some time.” He swatted her hands away as she reached for his belt buckle.

“Relax. Geez. I didn’t think you wanted to try bending over to take off your pants with that concussion.”

Giles resisted for a minute until the room began to spin. Cordelia steadied him and brokered no further arguments.

Well, that answers that bet. Definitely boxers.

“Cordelia? Are you quite finished?”

It was Cordy’s turn to blush as she had been caught daydreaming. “Right. Um, do you need to …”She pointed towards the toilet.

“Yes, but I can do it myself, thank you.” He gave her a withering glare, that only made her giggle.

“Okay, but I’ll be standing right outside the door in case you hit your head again.”

“Yes, do remind me.” The snark lost its bite when his lips twitched upwards.

When he was finished, she got him settled onto the sofa.

“Giles, you need a better sofa.”

“I quite like this one.”

‘Well, it isn’t long enough for you.”

“It isn’t meant to be a bed.”

“Fine. But when you’re over this concussion, I am taking you shopping.”

“What? Why?”

“Don’t argue. Just accept that I’m right.” She pushed him down into the cushions and covered him with the blanket from upstairs. “The doctor said to wake you every two hours.”

Giles grunted and turned over burying his face into the cushions.

Grabbing the afghan off the back of the armchair, Cordy settled down to watch. _Huh. I’m watching the Watcher._ Knowing better than to venture out after dark, she sought a place where she could make a few calls. She considered the loft but wanted to be near in case Giles needed something. That left the kitchen and the tiny bathroom. Choosing the latter, she left the door cracked open and dialed the office. “Hi, Wes. He’s fine. Another concussion. And his right wrist is fractured along with a couple of ribs.” She shook her head in response to one of Wesley’s questions until she realized he wouldn’t be able to see it. “No. The doctor said a few days rest and he’ll be back to his old self. Hold on a second.” She poked her head into the hall, but Giles was exactly how she’d left him.“Sorry, I thought I heard Giles trying to get up. No. I haven’t been able to reach Buffy. Willow and Tara are staying with Dawn. They wanted me to bring Giles over to the Summers’ house, but I knew if I did, Giles would be fussing over everyone else instead of resting. I think I’m going to stay here a few days, or at least until I’m sure he won’t try and do too much too soon. Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow. I’ll tell him.”

She closed her phone and drew another glass of water from the tap along with a couple of aspirin. The doctor had given explicit instructions to alternate the aspirin and Tylenol. She sat Giles up and handed him the pills.

“What are these?”

“Aspirin. The doctor wanted me to make sure you took all your pills.”

He grimaced but didn’t argue. His head must be throbbing something fierce. Cordelia learned how debilitating a headache could be when she started receiving visions from the Powers That Be. Once he was resettled, she ran cold water onto a washcloth and placed it on his forehead.

“Thank you. You don’t have to stay …”

“Hush. I’m staying.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

He drifted off again and she tucked the blanket around his back so he wouldn’t catch a draft.


	4. New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordy stays a little longer.

From her almost wakeful state, Cordelia heard a faint knocking on the door.

“Giles? Why is the door locked? He never locks his door.”

Cordelia recognized Willow’s worried voice.

“Maybe we should let Mr. Giles sleep.”

But she couldn’t quite place the female voice that answered.Definitely not Buffy or Anya. Wait. Xander had said something about Willow having a new “friend.”

Willow knocked louder and rattled the door handle causing Giles to stir. He groaned as he rolled over and almost fell off the too-short sofa. Not wanting to disturb his needed rest, Cordy quickly answered the door. Using her body, she blocked Willow from entering.

“Cordelia? What gives? We came to check on Giles…”

“Shhh. The doctor said I could let him sleep if he didn’t show any signs of dizziness. He just dropped off a couple of hours ago.”

“Is Mr. Giles okay?”

Cordelia turned to study Willow’s friend. She was tall, blonde, and pretty, in an unassuming way.

“Hi, I’m Cordelia. You must be Willow’s friend.”

Willow rolled her eyes at Cordelia’s not so subtle hint for an introduction. “Cordelia, Tara. Tara, this is Cordelia.”

“Oh, the friend who works with Angel?”

Cordelia smiled. “Yep. That’s me.” She shook hands with Tara.

“So, Giles …”

Cordelia took pity on Willow. She may not have always seen eye to eye with the redhead, but like the rest of the Scoobies, Willow was very fond of the Watcher. “He has a fractured right arm, which will need to stay in a cast for at least four to six weeks. Some bruised ribs and a good knock on the head, but the doctor didn’t think it was serious.”

“Oh. That’s good. Anya said you found him.”

“Yeah. Wesley sent me to borrow a book. Angel was supposed to get it, but we haven’t been able to reach him. Giles was half-buried under one of his bookshelves when I arrived. So, I drove him to the hospital.”

“It was nice of you to stay with him.”

“Of course. Anything for Giles.”

Willow nodded. “You heard about Mrs. Summers?”

Cordelia nodded as she looked down at the ground. She hadn’t had time to process yet. “I still can’t believe it.”

The three stood silently for a moment until Tara pointed over her shoulder. “Willow, we should get back to Dawn since Cordelia is looking after Mr. Giles.”

“Well, we can look after him too. We can bring him back to Buffy’s.”

“Willow, don’t be ridiculous. The last thing Dawn needs is to see Giles all banged up. Go. I’ve got this.”

“But …”

“Go. I’ll call you when he wakes up.”

Willow hesitated but Tara pulled her back towards the street. “Tell Mr. Giles we hope he feels better.”

Cordelia smiled. She liked Tara, she seemed very sweet. “Of course.” She watched the pair headtowards Buffy’s house hand in hand. Once the pair had disappeared from view, she quietly opened the door and let herself in.

“Thank you. I love the girls dearly, but I don’t think I’m quite ready to be fussed over.”

Cordy smiled and brought the Watcher a cup of tea and his next dose of aspirin. Catching the look of distrust as he eyed the tea, she pretended to take offense. “Hey! I have you know, I learned how to make a decent cup of tea. If you don’t believe me, ask Wesley.”

Giles smirked. Wesley had turned out alright. As had Cordelia. Getting out of Sunnydale had done wonders for them both. And somehow Cordelia had become even more beautiful.

“You think I’m pretty?”

“Pardon?”

“Gah. You said that out loud, you know.”

Giles’ ears turned beet red. Busted. Leaning back against the sofa he closed his eyes, “Cordelia, you have been the one bright spot in this truly awful week.”

It was Cordy’s turn to blush. “Why, thank you, kind sir.”

He made to stand up but wobbled slightly as he righted himself.

“Do you need the bathroom?”

“What? No. I was going to fetch the book Wesley requested. I imagine you’ll want to leave before dark.”

“Chill, Giles. It isn’t even lunchtime yet. Speaking of, are you hungry?”

“Cordelia, I’ve had your cooking …”

“Pshaw. I wasn’t offering. I was going to order in.”

“Oh, right. Uh, the menus are …”

“Right here. I remember.”

His lips turned up in a wistful smile. “It is nice to have you here, Cordelia. We’ve missed you.”

“You have?”

“Of course.”

“Good. That’s good. Because I’m staying for a few more days until you’re back on your feet.”

“I don’t have time to lie about with Glory ... Buffy and Dawn need me.”

“Shh. Giles. Willow and Tara are looking after Dawn today. And Angel is with Buffy. You’re right. They both will need you now more than ever, but they can’t have you passing out on them. Look, let me take care of you today, and tomorrow I will drive you over to Buffy and Dawn’s. Deal?” She stuck out her hand to shake on it.

The Watcher closed his much bigger hand around hers briefly, gently. “Alright, just for one day.”

“Right. And tonight you can make me dinner.”

“What? I thought we were going to order in?”

“That’s lunch, silly. Buffy said you are a really good cook.”

“Buffy always turns her nose up at my food. All you lot did.”

Cordy laughed and led him up the stairs towards his bed. “For someone so smart, you can really be dumb.”

Giles stopped and stared, his mouth dropping open.

“Oh, c’mon. You had to know we were teasing. Where would be the fun, if we told you we liked it.” She guided him down onto the mattress and tucked the blanket around him. “I’ll come get you when pizza is here.” She placed a kiss on his cheek, near enough to his mouth to leave him guessing as to her intent.

“Bloody hell, woman.”


End file.
